San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1887-12-15


law should be devised with especial precu.
tion against imperiling the existence Of our
manufacturing interests. But this interest
should not mean condition, which without
regard 10 the public welfare or National
exigency. must always insure the realization
OF immense proat instead Of moderately pro.
fitable returna Al the volume and divers
ity OF our National activities increase new re-
cruits are added to those who desire CON-
tinuation OF the new advantages which they
conceive the present system Of tariff taxa
tion directly offered them.
So stubbornly have all efforts to reform
the present condition been resisted by those
Of our fellow -oitixens thus engaged that
they can hardly complain Of the suspicion,
entertained to q certain extent that there or
lists an organized combination all along the
line to maintain their Advantage. We are In
the midst Of centennial celebrations and
with becoming pride We rejoice In Ameri-
can skill and ingenuity In American energy
and enterprise, and In the wonderful natu-
raj advantages and resources developed by
centurys National growth. Yet when an
attempt 10 made to Justify scheme which
permits a tax TO be laid upon every con-
sumner In the land for the benefit Of our
manufacturers, quite beyond q reasonable
domand for governmental regard, ID suits
the purposes Of advocacy to call our manu-
features infant industries still needing the
highest and greatest degree Of favor and
fastening care that can be wrung from
federal legislation. IL is also stated that
the increase in the price Of domestic manu-
features resulting from the present tariff Ia
necessary in order that higher wages may be
paid to our workingmen employed In manu-
factories than are paid for what Il called
the pauper labor Of Europe
All will acknowledge the force Of an argu-
ment which involves tho welfare and liberal
compensation Of our labor is honorable in
the eyes Of every American citizen; and az
II lies at the foundation Of our dev slopment
and progress, 1t Is entitled, without Rffecta-
tion or hypocracy, to the utmost regard.
The standard of our laborer's life should not
be measured by that Of any other country
less favored, and they are entitled to their
full share Of our advantages BY the last
census 1t Is made to appear that Of the II,
392, 900 Of our population engaged In all
kinds Of industries, 1870, 493 are employed
In agriculture, 4,074, 23S in professional and
personal service, (2034, S7B of whom are
domestic servants and laboiA,rs,) while
1910, GbB are employed In trade and trans
portation, and 1857, liz are classed as en-
p,oyed in manufacturing and mining.
For present purposes, however, the last
number given should be considerably re-
duced. Without attempting TO enumerato
all, it will be conceded that there should be
deducted from those which II includes S75,-
l43 carpenters and joiners, 2S5, 40l milliners,
dressmaksrs and seamstresses; l72, 726 black
smiths, l33 1865 tailors and tailoresses, l03, :.
47S mnsons 10, 24l butchers, 4l,809 bakers,
22,083 plasterers, and 4, ,S0l engaged In man.
ufacturing agricultural implements,
amounting in the aggregate to .,9l4,02S,
leaving Q 628, ,069 persons employed In such
manufacturing Industries, al are claimed to
be benefited by high tariff. To these the
appeal is made to save their employ ment,
and maintain their wages by resisting q
change
There should be no disposition to answer
such suggestions by the allegation that they
are in minority among those who labor,
and therefore should forego an advantage,
in the interest of low prices for the ma
jority; their compensation, as 1t may be af.
fected by the operation Of tariff laws,
should at oil times be scrupulously kept In
view; and yet with slight repletion they
will not overlook the fact that they are con-
sumers with the rest, that they, too, have
their own wants and those of their families
to supply from the earnings, and that the
price Of the necessaries of life as well as
the amount Of their wages, will regulate the
measure Of their welfare and comfort. But
the reduction Of taxation demanded should
be so measured as not to necessltate or jus.
tify the loss Of employment by the working
man, nor lesoen his wages, the profits still
remaining to the manufacturer after
necessary readjustment should furnish M
excuse for the sacrifice of the interested OF
his employees either in their opportunity to
work or in the deminution Of their compen-
sation Nor can the worker In manufac-
lures fail to understand that while high
tariff Is claimed to be necessary to allow
the pay ment Of remunerative wagers 1t cer-
tainly resulted In a very large increase In
the price Of nearly all sorts OF manufac.
lures, which, in almost countless forms, he
needs for the use Of himself and his family.
He receives at tho desk of his employer his
wages, and perhaps before he reaches his
home is obliged In purchase for family
use Of an article which embraces his own
labor, to return In the payment Of the In :.
crease in price which tho tariff permits tho
hard earned compensation Of m any days OF
toll
The farmer and the agriculturalist, who
manufacture nothing but who pay the in.
creased price which the tariff imposes, upon
every agricultural implement, upon all he
wears and upon all he uses and owns, ex-
cept the increase Of his focks and herds, and
such things as in his husbandry produces
from the soil Is invited TO aid in main
tanning the present situation, and he 10 told
that high duty on imported wool Is neces-
sary for ths benefit OF thoss who have sheep
70 shear, in order that the price Of their
wool may be increased. They. Of course
are not reminded that the farmer who has
no sheep is this scheme obliged, In his pur.
ckasss Of clothing and wooden goods, 10 pay
a tribute 10 bis fellow farmer - well a. 10
the manufacturer and merchant; nor Il any
mention made Of the fact that the sheep
ownsrs themselves sut their HOUSEHOLDS.
must wear clothing and use other articles
manufactured from the wool Tnsy ell ct
tariff prices and thus a. consumer must
return thsir share Of this increased price 10
ths trsdssnan-
think Il msy Be fsirly assumed that
large proportion Of the s5ss7 ovaei bg the
farmer thrnuxhout the country are founi
10 snail hlcx' n1'n5sriag from twenty-five
~ hfty. Toe duty on this graie n isaportei
vol which tasss shssp Weld Il Ten csntN
Zach p7Ini 10 Of the valas oi thirty csnts or
l.es. aai tselve cslts II of the value oi
more thaa thirty osasS n tss liberal ssti-
nae q az p5snds b allovsl for ssoa
nssss. tbs duty thsreoa go1ll b sixty O.
csats aad this may BE- taksa
a. To- utm5st sohaacsns1t q ~ prics 10
Ne farrn-r b. rsasoa q "a d1iy. Eight
ssa dollars uouiI taas rsprsssnt ths IN
srs.ssa pr55s a ths vaol fron tvsnty-fvs j
.hsep and fs5 thsf from tbs vool q CITY
lhsrp. Eni 81 present. ra'1sI tas aflitoa
would a-n511f % a5osf ons-thiri q ia
pr5as ~ uD5a its ssis tbs farms rscsivs
an Or q lsS t.ua p-ost tss 800 ls.vss